Box or carton stripper machine



March 11, 1952 E. L. HEDSTROM ET AL 2,583,384

BOX 0R CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet l \Q mlwlllhllllllllllllllll a N q JNVE-NTORS' 6; Z, g M 6' my,

Mam, W Ai & ATTORNEY March 11, 1952 E. L. HEDSTROM ET AL 2,588,334

BOX OR CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, 194s ml Q Q ww N NN 'INVENTORS,

' fl/Z ML ATTORNEY March 11, 1952 E. 1.. HEDSTROM ET AL 8 BOX OR CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 10, 1946 March 11, 1952 E. L. HEDSTROM 'ET AL 2,588,384

BOX OR CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 10, 1946 INVENTORS,

March 11, 1952 E. 1.. HEDSTROM ET AL 2,588,384

BOX OR CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 10, 1946 March 11, 1952 E. 1.. HEDSTROM ET AL 2,588,334

BOX 0R CARTON STRIPPER MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 1946 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 11, 1952 OFFICE BOX OR CARTON STEIPPER Eric L. Hedstro m, Matting; Otto, and Ce'cil E.

Gooderham, Buffalo N. Y.

Application August 10, 1946 Serial No. 689169 1 12 Claims.

1 This invention relates generally to ,theuart or paper boxes and other die-cut articles, but more particularly to a novel means and method for-ex pediting the removal of the Waste whichciszpresent after die-cutting and creasing boxes and like articles froma sheet" after it passes throughthe creasing andcutting machine.

It has for its: primary object to provide: an. efficient meansand method forremovingsuch waste which is so designed; as to receive the cut and printed sheets of multipleboxes or otherdie-cut articles as they are continuously discharged. from themachines forxso-doing;.thereuponrieedingi such sheets. to a. stripping station to; cause the relative displacement of the die-cut portions of thevsheet from the waste: portions surrounding the same and in directions to. strip such: portions: from. each other, and then conveying the die-cut blanknportions and the stripped waste portions to different points of discharge.

Another object-of the invention is to provide a novel, simple and efficient machine of this character which isso constructed as-to causethe diecutblanh and wasteportions of thesheetsto be respectively conveyed inrecedingdirections while being retained on companion relatively movable means and which results in the stripping of the waste from-the die-cut portions oithe sheetswith such respective portions being thereupon con veyedto different points of discharge.

A further object is toprovide'a machine-f this character whose die-cutblan'k and waste engagiing members for retaining thev companion pertions of the sheets to the relatively, movable means and for stripping those portions from each other .sized and difierent shaped boxes or other articles.

Other features of the. invention reside in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanyingidrawingsz Figure 1 is afragmentary top plan view ofthe machine embodying our inventiomthe conveyor belts being, omitted. Figure. 2 is a fragmentary front view thereof with such. belts likewise omit ted. Figurefiis acrosssection taken substantially. in the plane of 1ine.3--3, Figurel2. Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross section taken substantially inthe plane of line 4.4; Figure 2. Figures 5t-and 61 are enlarged fragmentary cross sections] showing the starting and finishing operations-ineffect- "ing, the stripping of the waste from the box portionofMthe-sheet. Figure 7 isgantenlargedivfragr mentary longitudinalsectionshowing, one of the 2 sheetflstops of'the machine. Figure 8 is a :fragmentary elevation of the drum of the machine, partly broken away to show the gripper-finger mountings andwassociated parts. Figure 9 is an enlarged cross section taken substantially inwtlie plane of'line'9- p9, Figure 8. Figure 10 isia fragmentary sectional diagrammatic or perspective view showing the manner in which the sheets .are fed. to the machine for stripping the Wastefrom the? box or die-cut portions of the sheet and how the respectiveiportions are discharged. Figure l--1' is adi'agrammatic sectional elevation showing one form. of stacking; apparatus whichimay be used in conjunction with .our machine for receiving the bGXBSJ orlike articles from which the waste" has been removed, one of the box-sections having been: picked? up from the delivery belts Figure 12 is a similar viewbut with a box-section being shownready to be depositedon the stack or'pile.

Similar" characters; of reference indicate the corresponding parts throughout the'several views.

In itsgeneralI organization our waste removing machine, which may be either employed as a separate unitor adapted for directoperative associationwith or attached to a box-oreasingiand cutting machine; consists of relatively movable means between which the printed, creased and' out b'ox sheets are presented for strippingthe waste from the box-containing portions thereof; means: disposed in correlation tosaid relatively movable means and; engageable with i the opposite sidessof the sheet for causing theretention of the die- -cut article or box-containing portion ofthe sheet on one ofrsuch movable means and. the retention of the waste portion of the sheet onthe companion movable means,-.- whereby, aslthe boxcontaining portion travels coextensively wit h'one of the movable means and the wasteportionis conveyed in areceding directionifrom suchcompanion movable means about the cut lines on the sheet from the boxportion thereof, the respective portions are'thereupon conveyed-to separate points of discharge; andmeans for adjusting thosepartsof themachine engageable-rwith the waste and box-containing portions of the sheets to readily" adapt-the machine for operation on differentisizesand shapes of boxes;

Rieferringnow to: the-drawings and particularly to Figure 10 which more ror-:less diagrammatically depictsthe method and one form ofunit on machinefor expediting- .the removat or stripping-' of the waster from= thesbox containingl portionsmf a sheet, the -numeral l5 indicatesv generall l the sheetwhich hasbeen-printed, creasedhand out tonformaaimultipleaof-l boxes therefrom. l6 indicates the box-containing portions thereof, and i1 indicates the waste portion, which, in the example shown, is the marginal waste bordering the sheet about its box-containing portion. It will also be noted in this figure that the sheets are fed or delivered to the waste stripping station of the machine or a movable member or conveyor l8 consisting of a series of transversely spaced bands and it will be further observed that this same conveyor serves to carry the box or other die-cut portions from which the waste has been removed to a point of discharge, and may if desired, be the same conveyor associated with the machine which creases and cuts the box-forming sheets.

By way of example, the machine or unit for expediting the removal of the waste from the box-forming sheets consists of a suitable frame including end plates l9, which may be attached to the frame of a box making machine or which may be made as a separate unit in operative relation to such machine, and an intermediate plate 20, these plates being secured in proper horizontally-spaced relation by tie rods or bolts 2|. Journaled in suitable bearings, applied to these frame-plates is a horizontal shaft 22 which constitutes the drive shaft of the machine and which may be actuated intermittently in any approved manner, motion being transmitted to such shaft when passing a sheet through the machine to strip the waste from the box-forming I body thereof. In the drawings, by way of example, the shaft is provided on one end with an automatic intermittent feed control assembly 23 of any suitable construction and a drive sprocket 24 for connecting it to any suitable source of power. On its other end this shaft has a second sprocket 25 from which power is transmitted to other operative parts of the machine as will hereinafter appear. For the purpose of arresting the shaft, at a predetermined point after each operating cycle thereof, a stop wheel 26 is fixed thereon with which a stop dog 21 is adapted to releasably interlock when the control assembly 23 is disengaged from coupling engagement with the shaft. Mounted on the shaft between one of the frame plates l9 and the intermediate plates 2|! is a waste conveying member or drum 28 disposed with its lower side in substantially tangential relation to the conveyor I8 and forming therewith what we shall refer to as the stripping station, the sheet being fed or presented between these relatively movable conveying members and then operated on in a manner to cause the box-containing portion [6 of the sheet to be retained fiatwise on or in parallel relation to the conveying member I8 and the waste portion I! of the sheet to be retained on the companion conveying member 28 and follow in the revolving path thereof or in a direction away from such conveyor member 18 to cause the stripping of the waste portion of the sheet from its box-containing portion. When these sheet portions are so stripped from each other as depicted in Figure 10, the box-containing portion is delivered by the conveyor member l8 to a point of discharge while the stripped waste portion is delivered to a point of discharge by a conveyor or apron 29 disposed in operative relation to the conveying member 28 and in a plane above and substantially parallel to the discharge end of the companion conveying member. Theband conveyor l8 travels intermittently relatively to the drum conveyor 28, being driven by any suitable means, and is guided on rollers 30, 3|, and 32. Extending part way about the drum conveyor are aplurality of transverselyspaced bands or belts 33 which pass at their other ends about a roller 34, fixed on a shaft 35 journaled in the upper ends of the frame-plates l9 and against which belts the upper sides of the sheets I5 bear in passing through the machine. It will be noted in Figures 5 and 6 that the feed end of the waste discharge apron 29 travels concentrically with the contiguous portions of the drum-engaging bands 33 and that the waste portion ll of the sheet is guided and confined for a short distance of travel between such bands and apron, this waste portion being more or less skeleton orborder-like in shape and requiring extensive support while traveling from the drum to the horizontal stretch of the discharge apron. The latter is guided on suitable rollers 36, 31, 38 suitably supported on the frame of the machine, the roller 36 being fixed to a driven shaft 39 journaled at the lower end of such frame, while the adjoining roller 3| in operative engagement with the band conveyor I3 is fixed on a parallel driven shaft 40. This band conveyor, the drum bands 33 and the discharge apron 29 travel in the same direction and at the same speed and motion is transmitted thereto from the drum-shaft 22. For

this purpose, as shown in the drawings, a' sprocket drive 4| is provided from the sprocket 25 on the drum-shaft to the upper roller-shaft 35 and a second sprocket drive 42 is provided from the latter to the lower roller shaft 40, while a spur gear 43 on the latter meshes with a like gear 44 on the I apron roller shaft 39 to propel the apron 29. Thus, during the operative cycle of the machine, which is somewhat less than a complete revolution of the drum conveyor 28, the sheet I5 is automatically propelled therethrough and the waste portion stripped therefrom by the mechanism presently to be described.

As the sheet is delivered to the drum conveyor 28 by the horizontal band conveyor 18, and at which time the former is at rest, its leading edge encounters a series of stop fingers 45 disposed in a row transversely beneath the drum and in certain of the spaces between the bands of the conveyor l8 and yieldingly mounted on the free ends of companion vertically-swinging stop levers 45 applied to a horizontal rock shaft 41 supported at its ends in the frame-plates l9. Each stop finger projects above the top face of its attaching lever, as shown in Figure 7, and is urged toward its normal position in abutting relation to the end of its lever by a spring 48 which also serves to allow the stop finger to yield slightly forwardly as the leading edge of the sheet encounters it. At the start of the operating cycle of the machine, these fingers are swung downwardly or below the plane of the band conveyor to permit the sheet to enter the stripping station, and this disappearing action is effected by a cam 49 fixed on the drumshaft 22 and with which a follower arm 50, radiating from the rock shaft 41 engages, so that at predetermined times the stop fingers are'projected into and out of their operative position. A spring 5| connected at one end to the follower arm and at its other end to one of the tie rods 21 of the frame serves to constantly urge such arm toward the peripheral edge of the cam.

As the sheet [5 approaches the drum conveyor 28 its top and bottom surfaces engage two rows of oppositely-displaceable contacting or bearing fingers 52 and 53, respectively, located at the feed side of such conveyor, these fingers being disposed transversely in rows slightly to the rearof the stop fingers 45 and in certain of the spaces provided by the band conveyor 18.

The top orhreak 'downfingers -52 "are mount-h ed on a rock-shaft fl di'sposed outwardly of and parallel' to -the 'stop *finger shaft 41 and are so poSitioned -and adjustably set thereon" hy bolts' or 1 the like to engage" the top side -of the boxcontaining 'portion I 6 of the sheet; that-is, to

maintain such portion of the sheet flatwise against 'the band" conveyorand exert a downward pressure thereon relative to' the waste -portion I Tof the sheet: This break-down pressure 22 and engaged by a follower arm 56' radiating from the rock shaft 54; so "that at predetermined times the fingers i1 52 I are pressed downwardly firmly-against the sheet, a spring 51 connected at ione' end to "the-follower arm and 'at-its other end to-oneof thetie-rodsil serving to constantly urge the*arrn towardtheperipheral edge of the Th'e lower or sheet-lifting fingers" 53= are mounted on a rock shaft 58 disposedparallel to but below the companion rock shaft 54; and

are so positioned orsetthereon to engage thebottomside of the waste portion 1 T of the sheet being-operatedupon, andthereby tend to lift such "portion toward the drum or in a direction opposite to that inwhich the break-down fingers 52" operate and thereby cause a separation or stripping; of the box containing portion of i the sheet from its waste portiona- In the exampleof'fthe sheet ishown'in' -Figure ;10, the waste-pow tion'l'l -'is'amarginal'or"rim-likearea and the lifting" fingers 53 *are disposed as to engagethe side piecesof SllCh'FOI'tiOIlr The movement-of these fingerstowardthe sheet is effected by a r.

cam 59 fixed on the drunr' shaft alongside the earns 49 and Ehand-engagedlay a follower arm 60 "radiating from the-rockshaft 58 andhaving a" spring'ffil connected thereto for constantly urgingjt toward the-'peripheral edge of the cam;

disposed alongside the companion cams 49," 55,

and SS-to" control the movement of *such fingerstowardandfrom thewdrum' conveyor; It will he noted, in" Figures -5yand- 6,-" that these fingers terminate short of {the lower or leading portion of fthe discharge apron 29 and that fromasuch point 'thenwasteportion of the sheet travels between"the'drum-engaging belts'33 and the contiguous portion of'such' apron' until it reaches the longitudinal stretch'"of-thedatter when it isycarried alongtherewith; in-an obvious mann'er'to ,a'pointof discharges Means are provided onthe drum conveyor 28 for gripping the :leading and trailing edges of the sheets 15 to thereby efiectually "retain such ends, which constitute a part of'the waste por-" tion II. to theface "of the "drum or .against the belts 33w engaging the same and compel movement of such sheet portion with the drum conveyoric For, this purposejwe provide two sets of "gripper fingersBG, 61 disposed in rows in suitable, spaced j, relation lengthwise of the drum conveyor andprojecting outwardly from the periphery thereof, the gripper, fingers 66 being en= gageable with the leading end of 'thesheet and the fingers ST'b'eing engageable'with the trail ing" end of the-sheet, as rshown insFigures26 andi; 9i Therleadin'g :gripperfingers zfifi' are i-mOllIltfidJ' on a longitudinal rock :shaftfifia disposedwpars allel to the: drumr-rshaft if 2 2H and suitably sup'-' ported on the drum conveyor; so :that when-such shaft is. rocked in: one direction: the freeor r curved ends 1 of the gripper fingersi: clamp": the sheet to "the drum while "when rocke'd in the 'op' posite -direction the fingers are released. For; the purpose of thus controllingthese fi'ngers": a; cam- 69 is fixed on the :inner: face of the :intere mediate i frame plate 20 'and movable -a'bout ;the i: peripheryofthe 1 same with 1 the movement of the drum; is :a-afollower arm Ill radiating a: from;- the rock shaft $8. 1 The-gripping endsllotathei fingers extend: througha"; longitudinal slot; H 1 formed "in-the surface of the drums The companion or trailing gripper flngers 61 are mounted in anlik'e manner but arecradjust-iable circumferenti'ally relative to the :drum so 38?: to be properly -set in accordance with the length: of the boxforming sheets being: operated upon; For this purpose, these-fingers are mounted on a longitudinal rock shaft lz supported=in the outer ends ofthe two or more radial arms -13 applied totthe drumeshaft 22 asshown in Figures- 8 and 9, and their gripping 'ends" extend through companioncircumferentialslots formed in the surfaceof the druma Adjust; ment of this set of" gripper rrfi ngers in; proper-t spaced relation to the companion set of gripper: fingers 66 is effected from" a: handoperated: shaft 15 supported in the drum and having two or more pinions l6 thereonmeshing with com-i pl'me'ntal segmental gear racks '1 I attachedlitoi the arms- 13i Between-wits ends lathe :drum'ihas: recessed or notcheddreinforcingw partitionsss 18 therein and one end of the rock shafttextendsr through an arcuate. slot 19 inthatuend of the drum" adj oining the frame plate 20 v and; vhasrca follower arm 8U thereon: engaging a a; cams. 8|. fixed on such plate alongside the companion cam 69 for controlling the rocking oftheshaft'z'lZ and accordingly the gripping and-releasing aposi -i. tions of the=fingers 61. The timing of the grip-" ping fingers is-suchlthatthe fingers 66 grip the leading edge of'th'e sheet at the start of the: stripping operation and are released as suclr edgeofthe stripped waste portion of the sheet is directed onto 'the receiving end of the -hori-t zontal stretch ofthe discharge apron 29; while the companion fingers 61 grip the trailing edger of the-sheet as "it-: reach'es the -stripping station and hold it tothe drum until it 'reaches'the dis-"e: charge apron Where they are *released. At this'r time the drum is stopped and the leadinggri-pt per fingers 66 in position for gripping ithe'next sheet "entering the stripping station;

Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, showing one form of apparatus "which may" be employed for receiving-the *boxes or "other 'die-cut articles from the waster-removing machine: and piling them in orderly fashion for subsequent packing and delivery," the "numeral" 82*indi'cates" a'tahorr-t zontally reciprocating carriage-guided on a track 83 and on which the conveyorbands I8"are' mounted, thiscarriageserving to present the diecut article to' the waste removing-machinerand to receive the-body lfiof the article; from which the waste has been removed? and" thence present such" articles'bodyfio the apparatus" indicated generally. by the numeral 84- for stacking them in a pile.',. This-carriage includes;ta vacuumchamretaining the article-"bodies "I 6 thereon until they reach the piling or stacking apparatus, when the vacuum is shut off and the bodies are engaged or gripped by overhead vacuum cups 8'! mounted on a vertically-reciprocating guide frame 88 actuated in any approved manner to lift such bodies from the conveyor belts 18. In Figure 12, a group of article-bodies [6 have been presented to this apparatus and they have been lifted from the conveyor 18 by the vacuum cups. In this position of the parts it will be further noted that a box sheet is being presented to the waste stripping machine. On the return stroke of the carriage 82, the conveyor 18 and the vacuum chamber 85 are removed. from the stacking apparatus, enabling the frame 88 to be lowered to the position shown in Figure 12, immediately above the stacking platform 89, at which time the vacuum is released from the cups 8! and the boxbodies drop a short distance by gravity onto the platform. Before the next forward cycle of the carriage, the cup-frame is raised to the position shown in Figure 11, in readiness to receive the next delivery of article-bodies.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine for stripping the waste from a. die-cut sheet, comprising relatively movable members between which the sheet is adapted to be presented and against which the die-cut and a waste portions of the sheet are respectively urged for stripping such portions from each other upon the relative movement of said members, means on one of said members for releasable gripping engagement with the waste portion of the sheet, and means disposed at the approach side of said members and engageable'with the opposite surfaces of the die-cut and waste portions of the sheet for urging them toward said members, respectively.

2. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, relatively movable linear and annular members disposed in tangential relation and between which the sheet is adapted to be presented, means disposed in correlation to the approach between said members for causing the pressing of the body of the die-cut sheet against one of the members and the pressing of the waste portion of the sheet against the other of such members, and means on one of said members for releasable gripping engagement with the waste portion of the sheet for conducting such waste portion away and stripping it from the die-cut portion thereof. V I

3. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, a conveyor for delivering the sheet to and from a predetermined station, a movable waste-gripping member disposed at such station in correlation to said conveyor for conducting the waste of the sheet in a direction away and stripping it from the die-cut portion thereof, and means in advance of said waste-gripping member and engageable with the top and bottom surfaces of the die-cut portion and waste of the sheet, respectively, for depressing the die-cut portion into surface engagement with said con- .veyor and the waste of the sheet toward said movable member.

4. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, a conveyor for the sheet, a second conveyor disposed in correlation to the first conveyor including means for releasably gripping and conducting the waste in a receding direction therefrom, and means in advance of said second conveyor and above and below the first conveyor and operatively engageable with the top and bottom surfaces of the die-cut portion of 8 said sheet and said waste, respectively for causing the die-cut portion of the sheet to be pressed downwardly against the first-named conveyor and the waste to be pressed upwardly against said second conveyor to thereby strip the waste from the die-cut portion of the sheet.

5. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, comprising relatively movable members between which the sheet is adapted to be presented, one of said members consisting of a conveyor belt for fiatwise supporting the sheet before and after stripping the waste therefrom and the companion member including a drum disposed in substantially tangential relation to the belt including means for releasably gripping and conveying the waste of the sheet away from the belt as it is stripped from the sheet by the relative movement ofsaid members, and means in operative relation to the drum for pressing the waste against the same during its stripping from the sheet.

6. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, comprising relatively movable members between which the sheet is adapted to be presented, one of said members consisting of a conveyor belt for fiatwise supporting the sheet before and after stripping the waste therefrom and the companion member including a drum having releasable waste gripping means thereon and disposed in substantially tangential relation to the belt for receiving and conveying the waste of the sheet away from the belt as it is stripped from the die-cut portion of the sheet by the relative movement of said members, and opposing movable means adjacent the approach side of the drum in correlation to the conveyor belt and the drum and engageable with the opposite surfaces of the die-cut sheet for causing a relative displacement of the die-cut and waste portions of the sheet toward said belt and said drum, respectively, to strip the one portion of the sheet from the other.

7. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, comprising relatively movable members between which the sheet is adapted to be presented, one of said members consisting of a conveyor belt for delivering the sheet to the stripping station and for discharging the diecut portion of the sheet from such station and the other member consisting of a rotatable drum having means thereon for releasable gripping engagement with the leading and trailing edges of the waste portion of the sheet for conveying it in a direction away from said conveyor'belt, and means in advance of said drum and engageable with the opposite surfaces of the sheet for urging its die-cut portion toward the belt and its waste portion toward the drum.

8. In a machine for stripping the waste from a die-cut sheet, comprising relatively movable members between which the sheet is adapted to be presented and to which the die-cut and waste portions of the sheet are respectively retained for stripping such portions from each other upon the relative movement of said members, oppositely-displaceable means disposed I above and below the path of movement of the sheet in advance of its presentation to said members and engageable with the die-cut and waste portions thereof respectively, for urging the former fiatwise toward one of said movable members and the latter in the opposite direction toward the other of said members to effect a stripping action, means connected to said displaceable means for actuating them at predetermined times, and

waste gripping means applied to said last-named movable member and releasably engageable with the leading and trailing ends of the waste portion of the sheet.

9. In a machine for stripping the waste'from a die-cut article-forming sheet, comprising relatively movable membersbetween which the sheet is adapted to be presented and to which the diecut and Waste portions of the sheet are respectively retained for stripping such portions from each other upon the relative movement of said members, oppositely-displaceable means disposed above and below the path of movement of the sheet and engageable with the top and bottom surfaces of the die-cut and waste portions thereof, respectively, for urging the former flatwise toward one of said movable members and the latter in the opposite direction toward the other of said members to effect a stripping action, wastegripping means applied to said last-named mov able member and releasably engageable with the leading and trailing ends of the waste portion of the sheet, means connected to said displaceable means for actuating them at predetermined times, and means disposed in correlation with said last-named movable member for flatwise guiding and directing the stripped waste portion to a point of discharge.

10. In a waste stripping machine, a conveyor for the die-cut sheet, a revolving drum disposed in operative relation thereto and between which parts the sheet is presented with the die-cut portion traveling with the conveyor and the waste portion traveling in a receding direction therefrom with the drum, means disposed at the advance side of the drum and engageable with the opposite surfaces of the sheet for urging the diecut portion thereof against said conveyor and the waste portion against said drum. means disposed at the discharge side of the drum for engagement with the waste portion of the sheet for holding it against said drum, and a second conveyor spaced from the first-named conveyor and in operative relation to the other side of said drum for directing and guiding the stripped waste portion of the sheet against the drum to a point of discharge, said first-named conveyor also directing the die-cut portion of the sheet stripped of its waste to a point of discharge.

11. In a waste stripping machine, a conveyor for the die-cut sheet, a revolving drum disposed in operative relation thereto and between which parts the sheet is presented with the die-cut portion traveling with the conveyor and the waste portion traveling in receding direction therefrom with the drum, lift and stripper fingers disposed in advance of said drum and engageable with the opposite surfaces of the waste and diecut portions of said sheet, respectively, as the sheet is fed between the conveyor and the drum for effecting a stripping action on such sheet portions, gripper fingers on said drum and releasably engageable with the leading and trailing edges of the waste portion of the sheet for retaining it to the face of the drum, means operatively connected to said lift and stripper fingers and to said gripper fingers, respectively, for actuating them, a discharge conveyor in operative relation to the discharge side of said drum for directing the waste portion therefrom, and guide fingers disposed in operative relation to the drum and in advance of said discharge conveyor for guiding and directing the waste portion of the sheet between the drum and the adjoining portion of said 1 discharge conveyor.

is presented and propelled with the die-cut portion adapted to travel with the conveyor and the waste portion adapted to travel in a receding direction therefrom with the drum. a waste discharge conveyor disposed above the feed confveyor at the discharge side of the drum and having a stretch thereof disposed about the adjoining side of the drum for the passage of the waste portion therebetween, lift and stripper fingers disposed in advance of the drum below and above the plane of the feed conveyor for engagement with the opposite surfaces of the sheet and displaceable in the spaces between the bands thereof for urging the waste and die-cut portions of the sheet in opposite directions toward the drum j and feed conveyor, respectively, to effect a stripping action of such portions from each other, gripper fingers mounted in circumferentially spaced relation on said drum for releasable engagement with the leading and trailing edges of such waste portion of the sheet, guide fingers disposed at the discharge side of the drum for contact with the stripped waste to urge it toward the drum and between the latter and the adjoining stretch of the discharge conveyor, and means for governing the actuation of said several fingers to and from their operative positions.

ERIC L. HEDSTROM.

MARTIN C. OTTO.

CECIL E. GOODERHAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,690,908 Preston Nov. 6, 1928 1,983,708 Ruble et al. Dec. 11, 1934 2,035,857 Adsit Mar. 31, 1936 2,164,436 Waters July 4, 1939 

